Uttar Pradesh Set To Get First Bullet Train As Centre Approves Delhi-Varanasi Corridor; Journey In 3.5 Hours | VIDEO

Lucknow, October 31, 2026: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greenlit a high-speed rail corridor connecting Delhi to Varanasi, marking Uttar Pradesh's first step into the country's bullet train network. The service is expected to shave travel time between the two cities down to approximately three-and-a-half hours, offering a significant speed boost over conventional rail options.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the approval, stating that the Northern Corridor will span Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Patna, and culminate in Guwahati. Once fully operational, the journey from Delhi to Varanasi will take just three hours and 33 minutes. The proposed route will not only shorten travel times but also provide a more economical alternative to air travel, with fares projected to be considerably lower than flight tickets.

Varanasi is also slated to benefit from a new Namo Bridge over the Ganga, a 2.5-kilometer double-decker structure that will incorporate a road and four railway lines, set to cost Rs 2,657 crore and be completed by 2029.